Sprayer



Dec. 23, 1958 H. F. HICKS 2,865,541

SPRAYER Filed OC'C. 8, 1956 Arrow/firs This invention relates to a sprayer for a iluid, and

more particularly to an improved device for spraying,

States PatenA 2 l Another object of the invention is the provision of means for agitating a fluid as it is discharged from the uid storage chamber and for preventing the diaphragm aqueous solutions of poisons such as insecticides or bacually operated asby a hand pump and is bulky and rather heavy to carry about. The present sprayer utilizes a common power source'to effect the spraying and therefore can be made smaller with resulting ease in transporting it. A further objection to prior sprayers where hand pumping is employed is that the pressure may vary throughout the stroke of the pump, especially at the beginning and ending of the stroke. Accordingly, the sprayed liquid often is not uniformly distributed with attendant waste. in the present sprayer, this problem also is obviated, and the spraying of the liquid is accomplished with substantially uniform pressure throughout the period of use of the sprayer.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved form of fluid ejector which is operatedby a convenient power source common to every home with a resulting saving in manual labor.

Another important object is to provide a sprayer of smaller bulk to facilitate its transportation from one work station to another, without needing to move the power source.

A further important object is to provide a sprayer which ejects or delivers a fluid under substantially uniform pressure, so that there is accurate and economical distribution of the fluid.

In carrying out the invention, an enclosure is used having an expansive diaphragm disposed within the enclosure to divide it into a pressure chamber or compartment and a discharge chamber. A fluid under pressure is admitted to the pressure chamber. Conveniently, the pressure chamber may be connected to a water system of a home at an outside valve and thereby utilize the pressure of that system. As a fluid illls the pressure chamber the expansible diaphragm extends along the enclosure increasing the volume of the pressure chamber and simultaneously decreasing the volume of the discharge chamber. In'response to this action of the diaphragm, a iiuid in the discharge chamber, which may be an aqueous solution of an insecticide, bactericide, or the like, is forced through an outlet in the discharge chamber and sprayed as desired as by a conventional hose and nozzle joined to the outlet.

If desired, the expansible diaphragm may be in the form of an elastic, open-ended bag which may also serve as the lpressure chamber as hereinafter described. The discharge chamber may have a closable port through which the fluid to be sprayed is admitted. Runners attached to the enclosure facilitate its transportation and positioning at a work station.

from blocking the storage chamber outlet.

Various other objects, advantages, and meritorious features of the invention will become more fully apparent from the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawing, wherein:

The figure is a side view of one embodiment of the present sprayer in. which an enclosure is shown in longitudinal section. q

Referring to the drawing, the embodiment disclosed includes an open-,ended tank or enclosure 10 which may be composed of a light weight metal or aplastic of pleasing color. An open-ended elastic bag 11 made, for example, of rubber is inserted within the tank 1t), and the periphery 11a adjacent the open end of the bag overfies or abuts a ilange 10a adjacent` the open end of the tank. Bolts 12 secure a cover plate 13 to the angeltla and elect a tight seal between the flange 10a and the periphery 11a of the bag.

The bag` 11 effectively divides the tank 10 into two chambers or compartments. Chamber A acts as a pressure chamber; chamber B serves as an ejecting or discharge chamber, although as the description proceeds it will be apparent that the functions of the chambers might be reversed. .,In the embodiment illustrated, the openended bag generally serves itself as the pressure chamber, since it is anchored at the open end of the tank 10. But it will be appreciated that, if desired, the bag 11 could be secured at other points or stations along the tank 10, for example at a medial part, so that-the pressure chamber could include part of the tank 14) as well.

In order to effect the expansion or extension of the bag 11, plate 13 has an outlet 14. A valve 15 fitted to the inlet connects to another valve 16 by means of a standard rubber or plastic `hose 17. Valve 16 may be an outside spigot of a water system installed in a house, so that the present sprayer is most conveniently operated without any manual actuation whatsoever. The discharge chamber B, or tank 10 in the embodiment illustrated, has an outlet 18, having outlet ports 18a, to which a standard rubber or plastic hose 19 is suitably connected by a tting 20. Hose 19 has a nozzle 21 or spraying the fluid ejected from chamber B, and stay means in the form of a chain 22 supports the hose 19 relatively to the tank 10 'oy joining a collar 23 on a section of the hose to a lug 24 fixed to the tank 10. The discharge chamber B or tank 10 may have an opening 25, normally closed by a cap 26, through which a lluid to be sprayed may be admitted. Runners 27 secured to the tank 1d and extending longitudinally thereof may be readily grasped to carry the sprayer from one work station to another and also to facilitate the positioning of the sprayer at such stations as shown with respect to a support or surface, and also permit dragging the sprayer over the ground.

In a period of non-use, the bag 11 normally occupies a limp position as shown by the full lines in Fig. 1. With a fluid to be sprayed occupying the discharge chamber B valves 15 and 16 are opened to ow a fluid under pressure into the bag 11 or pressure chamber A. As the pressure in that chamber increases, the elastic bag extends along the tank 10 in a direction away from the plate 13 until a position such as that shown by the dot-dash lines is reached. Simultaneously with the increase in volume of the bag or pressure chamber A, there is a decrease in volume of the discharge chamber B`due; to the action of the extending bag 11. This forces the viluid of the discharge chamber out the outlet 18 and hose 19 and through the nozzle 21 to a point of application. Since the rate of expansion of the bag is substantially uniform, the expelling force is substantially of the same magnitude I means extending across the tank outlet and spaced from the tank and having a portion disposed closely adjacent secured in any convenient fashion to the outlet tting 18.- l

The baille may have a beveled marginal edge -Iltic lying closely adjacent the end wall of the enclosure, and the small annular passage between the end wall and the beveled edge sets up an agitation of the fluid as it passes therethrough. The at face of the bathe plate extending radially outwardly to the beveled edge is abutted bythe diaphragm as the latter nears its full expansion and holds the diaphragm away from the outlet ports 13a.

While the foregoing describesa presently preferred embodiment, it is understood that the invention may be practiced in other forms within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A sprayer for a Huid including an open-ended tank, an open-ended expansible bag inserted in the tank, the peripheries adjacent the open-ended portions of the tank and bag abutting one another, a plate securing the abut- 'ting portions together and having an inlet, means to conduct a uid under pressure through theplate inlet and into the bag to expand the bag in a direction away from the plate, said tank having an outlet, hose means joined to the outlet to conduct the uid to be sprayed from the tank as the bag expands to force that uid through the tank outlet under substantially uniform pressure, and

the tank to form a restrictedpassageway between Said means and the tank communicating with the tank outlet and eiecting an agitation of uid discharged from the tank with such means preventing the bag from closing the tank `outlet as-the bag expands in said direction away from the plate.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 characterized in that said means which extends across the tank outlet comprises a circular plate, a hollow boss secured to the center of the plate and received through the tank outlet, said lboss provided with a plurality of radial apertures establishing communication through the wall of the boss between the interior ot" the tank and the interior of the boss, said apertures disposed between the inner wall of the tank and that surface of the plate opposing such wall, and the periphery of said plate disposed closely adjacent the wall of the tank to form said restricted passageway with the periphery shaped to conform to the surface of the tank.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,743,056 Whitacre Ian. 7, 1930 1,768,186 Vnuk June 24, 1930 2,097,985 Maryott Nov. 2, 1937 2,513,455 Cornelius July 4, 1950 2,731,297 Meyer Jan. 17, 1956 2,735,589 Milster et al. Feb. 21, 1956 

